Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven

NICK

T he next morning, the air in my chamber was crisp with the scent of pine and freshly laundered linens. I stared at my reflection in the gilded mirror as my valet, Rorin, fussed with the collar of my crimson velvet jacket.

“Your Highness, you’ll look dazzling for the first of your courtship dates,” Rorin said, stepping back to admire his work.

I grunted, barely registering his words. My mind was elsewhere. Specifically, back in the stable last night, where Alva’s mouth had reduced me to a trembling mess. It hadn’t been just about the physical release—though I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t the best I’d ever experienced. No, it was the way she’d looked at me, the warmth in her eyes. The disdain I’d come to expect was gone, replaced by something I couldn’t quite name but desperately wanted to hold on to.

She’d said she wasn’t disappointed in me, and I couldn’t deny how good it felt to hear those words.

“Your cravat, sire,” Rorin prompted, snapping me back to the present .

“Right.” I adjusted the silk tie, letting Rorin finish the knot. I wasn’t particularly thrilled about today’s date—or the entire courtship, for that matter. The idea of parading around a series of noble females like I was inspecting holiday ornaments made my stomach turn.

A knock on the door interrupted us, and before I could respond, my mother stepped inside. She was elegance incarnate, her ruby dress shimmering under the sun’s light, her hair swept up in a silver comb. The sight of her softened my mood slightly; as tough and rigid as she could be sometimes, she’d always been the more understanding of my parents.

“Good morning, Nicholas,” she greeted, her voice warm. Her gaze swept over me, and she gave a small nod of approval. “You look exquisite. The perfect picture of a Christmas Prince.”

“Thanks, Mother,” I said, though my tone lacked enthusiasm.

She stepped closer, her hands clasped in front of her. “I know your father was hard on you last night.”

“That’s putting it mildly,” I muttered under my breath.

Her expression softened, and she reached out to brush an invisible speck from my shoulder. “You know he loves you, Nick. Everything he says, everything he does—it’s because he wants what’s best for you.”

“I know,” I said, though the words felt hollow. “Which is why I should be at the borders with him, protecting the realm. Instead, I’m stuck here, playing bachelor.”

Her lips pressed into a thin line, but her tone remained gentle. “Your father can handle the Frost Queen. He’s done it before, and he’ll do it again. Right now, your priority is finding a wife. The realm needs a future Mrs. Claus, someone who can help you lead when the time comes.”

I hesitated, then asked, “What if I’ve already found her?”

Her brows lifted in surprise, but then her eyes narrowed with suspicion. “I saw the way you were holding Alva’s hand yesterday. Don’t tell me you’re fooling around with that elf, Nicholas? Are you that incapable of keeping your… loins in check?”

I shouldn’t have said anything, but the thought of keeping my feelings for Alva bottled up any longer felt unbearable. “It’s not like that, Mother. Alva is special. She brings out the best in me. She makes me believe that I can do this, that I could take over my father’s title and serve the realm.”

Her expression hardened, and she shook her head. “Nick, elves have always served the North Pole. They have their place, their purpose. Alva is exceptional, but her duty is to the realm’s operations, not to its throne.”

I straightened, my shoulders squaring. “Her devotion and dedication are exactly what would make her a perfect partner. She’s?—”

“Enough,” she interrupted, her voice steelier than before. “Do your duty to the realm, Nicholas. Focus on the courtship. That is what’s required of you. I don’t want to hear any more of this nonsense regarding that elf.”

She turned and left, leaving me standing there, my hands clenched at my sides.

The luncheon Alva had planned for my first date was, as expected, a spectacle of wintery elegance. The dining hall had been transformed into a glistening wonderland, with snowflake chandeliers, frosted garlands, and an array of confections that would put any Christmas feast to shame. My date, Lady Elira of Glimmerholt, was lovely—golden-haired, with a melodic laugh and a smile that could charm an entire room. She spoke animatedly about her family’s traditions, her charity work, and her love of poetry.

And I couldn’t recall any of it because I’d stopped actively listening shortly after sitting down to eat. My thoughts kept drifting to Alva. Her laughter. Her scolding. Her lips. Hel burn me, I was losing my mind. I forced myself to nod and smile, feigning interest in Elira’s words, but all I wanted was for this farce to end so I could go find Alva.

When the luncheon finally concluded, I excused myself, murmuring something about preparations for the next date. My feet carried me to the toy factory without conscious thought, drawn to the one person I actually wanted to see.

The factory was a whirlwind of activity, a cacophony of whirring gears, chattering elves, and the cheerful sound of assembly lines. Conveyor belts carried toys in various stages of completion, and the air smelled of fresh wood, paint, and peppermint. At the center of it all was Alva, clipboard in hand as always, directing the chaos.

She moved with purpose, her voice firm but encouraging as she gave instructions. Despite the frenzy around her, she exuded an aura of control, of competence. Watching her, I felt a pang of admiration—and something deeper, something that made my chest ache with longing. For the love of winter, she was everything I could want in a partner. Why couldn’t my mother see that? What difference did it make if she was an elf?

She was the female I wanted, the only one who had been able to bury herself in my heart.

“Alva,” I called, stepping closer.

She turned, her expression unreadable. “Nick. How was your date?”

I ignored the question. “Can we talk? Privately.”

Her brow furrowed, but she nodded, leading me to her office. As soon as the door closed behind us, I turned to her, my chest aching with unspoken words. “I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you. ”

Her breath climbed, and she took a step back. “Nick, we can’t?—”

I closed the distance between us, my hands bracing the door on either side of her. “I don’t care about the dates, about the courtship. None of it matters. You’re all I can think about.”

Before she could respond, I leaned down and captured her lips in a kiss, pouring every ounce of longing, frustration, and desperation into it. She tried to protest, but her attempts to fight me were feeble. In a moment’s breath, she melted against me, her hands clutching my jacket.

I slid my hand under her green tunic and below her tight stockings until I found the wetness between her legs. I moaned at the feel of her warmth, and she released a long shaky breath. “This, little elf. This is what drove me wild today. The memory of how you feel. Of the sounds you make when I touch you.” I pulled my hand out and licked my fingers. “I couldn’t pay attention to anything Miss fucking Glimmerholt was saying because the only thought running around in my head was of the memory of your taste. Of how silky you felt against my tongue when I licked your pussy up and down, Alva.”

She moaned, her body going liquid against mine. “Tell me you want me to lick you again, that you want to come in my mouth.”

She nodded, unable to say anything else because her ragged breaths wouldn’t let her. I quickly picked her up in my arms and laid her on top of her desk, scattering papers and graphs all over the floor, not wasting a single second in pulling her red stockings and undergarments off. Stars above. I’d had every fucking confection that existed in this Christmas realm, but nothing tasted as good as the female sprawled before me. I dropped to my knees and buried my face between her legs, savoring every lick.

I opened her folds, fully exposing her engorged clit. My mind spun, my thirst for her unquenchable. I flicked her hard nub with the tip of my tongue until the elf couldn’t stop writhing. She spread her legs wider, her breaths a symphony of desire as she tried to hold back her screams. “That’s it… Alva. Let go.”

Then, with a final whimper, she came in my mouth. I buried my tongue deep inside her, wanting to make sure I licked every single drop of her release. Fuck. I’d fantasized about this moment all day, and to finally have her taste in my mouth… it was a high unlike anything else.

“Nick…” she panted. “I want you.”

I was so hard, I swore I was ready to rip out of my trousers, and this time, I wasn’t going to let the moment pass us by. I wanted to be inside her—needed to. And I didn’t care where it happened; at this point I was willing to take her anywhere, even in her office. I just needed to make her fucking mine. I stood, ready to pull my cock out, when a sharp knock on the door shattered the moment.

“Miss Brightwinter?” an elf’s voice called from the other side. “We need your input on the doll assembly line.”

Stunned, Alva immediately pulled away, climbing off her desk, and rushing to put her stockings back on, her cheeks flushed. “I have to go.”

“Alva—”

“Please, Nick,” she said, her voice trembling, a hand to my chest as I tried to come near her. “We can’t keep doing this. It’s already hard enough that I must plan your dates, that I must be in this factory trying to make sure everything goes on without a hitch, all while picturing you with a different female each day. Being this close to you… it just makes everything so much harder. Don’t you understand? My heart breaks every time I remember the heat of your lips, your hands. What you just did to me… you make me feel like your most prized possession. You make me want to give you all of me, but then I’m reminded that you’re not mine, and never will be. ”

Before I could argue, she slipped out the door, leaving me alone with the weight of everything unsaid.

How could she not know that I was hers? That I could only ever be hers.

The next few days were a blur of dates I barely remembered, excursions that felt meaningless without Alva by my side. Each time I sought her out, she was too busy—or avoiding me. The distance between us was maddening, an ache that grew sharper with each passing hour.

It all came to a head when two days before solstice, I stumbled upon a group of elves huddled near the kennels. Two snow dogs lay injured, their fur matted with blood. My heart sank. The types of injuries they’d sustained could’ve only been a result of an attack from a bigger beast.

“What happened?” I demanded.

“We’re not sure, Your Highness,” one elf said. “But we saw something with white fur disappear into the forest. It moved like a shadow.”

The Frost Queen’s snow leopards. It had to be.

“Alert Alva,” I ordered. “Ensure the animals are protected, especially the reindeer. And notify my mother—the village needs to be on alert.”

One of the elves prepared my horse, Icebreaker, and dread settled into my core as I mounted. If the leopards had crossed the borders, then my father was likely in danger. It meant he and the Crimson Guard hadn’t been able to fortify the shields. I wouldn’t stand by and do nothing. I was done playing the bachelor prince.

If the Frost Queen thought she could threaten my realm and get away with it, she had another thing coming.